View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. From which city in Florida does Pinkie hail, as described in the story entitled "Muttsy"?

2. What element does the narrator name as the only thing Sykes had brought to his marriage?

3. When Mandolin purposefully undergoes a dramatic change, what name does he take to replace his given name?

4. The narrator states that things in Eatonville were very simple "in the good old days before" (172) which historical event?

5. What action is Pinkie taking when Muttsy slips a diamond ring on her finger?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Daisy Taylor?

2. How does Muttsy make his living in the story named after him in Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick?

3. What sort of reaction do females of all ages have to Mandolin once he reaches New York City?

4. The story entitled "Book of Harlem," not to be confused with the story "The Book of Harlem," focuses on what kind of journey?

5. Who is Panic?

6. Who is Ma Turner, according to the story entitled "Muttsy" and other stories?

7. In what way is foreshadowing associated with the portrait featured in the story "The Back Room"?

8. Who is the protagonist of the story "The Book of Harlem" and what qualities does he exhibit?

9. How many entries are included in "The Eatonville Anthology" and in what form is the story presented?

10. What aspect of Joe Clarke's personal life is discussed only in the story entitled "The Eatonville Anthology"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Hurston’s message regarding the connection between anger and productivity and what tools are used within Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick in order to get this message across to the reader?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Hurston's decision to include humor within many stories contained within Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick. What purpose did Hurston have in mind when including these instances of humor and how does the inclusion of these instances support the overarching themes and messages of each story in which it is used?

Essay Topic 3

All of the characters in the collection have specific yet varied relationships with money. Examine the theme of money in the text and how it affects the various characters.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 907 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample